UN official urges increased int'l support for Lebanon

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has urged the international community to scale up its support for the Lebanese people and the refugees in the crisis-hit country.
"I am visiting Lebanon during a very difficult moment. The Lebanese people and refugees are suffering as the political, economic and financial crisis is taking a toll on everyone," Grandi said at the end of a two-day visit to Lebanon.

During his visit, the UN senior official met with President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, House Speaker Nabih Berri and other ministers and officials to discuss how to better support the Lebanese people and Syrians in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I am making an urgent appeal to the international community to do more for refugees and Lebanese host communities. The support being provided to this dramatic situation is not enough," Grandi said.

Lebanon continues to host the largest number of refugees per capita in the world.

Nine out of 10 Syrian refugees in the country are living in extreme poverty and nearly half of the Lebanese fall under the poverty line.

"Families are desperate. Refugees told me that boys as young as 12 years old are not going to school because they have to work to support their families," Grandi was quoted as saying in the statement.-IANS